This is an commonly discussed topic, probably as many opinions (and good options) as there are players...
In the last year or so I took to tasteful use of tremolo on my guitars, and I'm pretty hooked on tasteful use of the trem bar for phasing now (think Jeff Beck).
My main guitar was a 335-style (still love it), but my 10+ year old strat-style, and now an additional strat style guitar are seeing most of the playing time--in part because of trem.
Too much trem use just gets annoying to listen to IMO, but I'm learning how useful it can be, especially in conjunction with my ususal useof bends (pitch up) and vibrato. Pitch down (trem) adds a third element of phrasing for that vocal/slide guitar like quality with a 'sound' all it's own that goes well with the aforementioned two and other phrasing techniques.
I was theoretically a firm believer in graphite--even in the nut slots of my 335 because, why not...even the well respected local guitar repair guy said he used graphite. It's kind of hard to ensure consistent results with pencil lead and such though. I didn't use the trem at all before either, so even when not blocked off, I rarely had trouble staying in tune.
Most of the trem issues seem to be at the nut/string tree after some research and experience. I'm lefty, so roller nuts are basically not an option for me from what I've seen...
For another non-guitar project I stumbled on a "dry" 'PTFE' based bicycle product as a lube that doesn't gum up or attract dirt/dust/etc. A little searching showed that some guys tried it for guitar. Since I had it on hand I've given it a shot in the nut slots, string trees, and around vintage trem bridge screws. Before it was pretty consistently landing out of tune and needing a 'yank' on the bar to pull it back in tune, at best. But I've virtually forgotten that using the trem might cause tuning issues by now after starting to use this kind of stuff!
It's awesome not to need any mods, extra parts, etc. to have solved the problem on your "regular" strat style guitar if this stuff continues to prove reliable. Apparently many manufacturers make similar products, but the one I have is called "finish line dry." However I'm not saying one brand vs another--I was originally looking for a different brand product of "dry PTFE" based product when I called a bike shop looking for it (again, not for guitar but for another project) and that is the one they had, though most of the PTFE dry lubricants will be similar or the same regardless of brand said the bike shop. That is just the one they had. Bottles are available cheap on amazon. It was a great find!
Now, I say "dry" with quotations, because the way the product works is, it applies like it's wet, but quickly dries up, and the PTFE and a soft waxy portion remain...so it's wet on application but doesn't get gummy, and easier to apply than graphite shavings by far. At first I thought something was wrong, or I read about guys using it for guitar advocating "dry" products. It's dry--after a few minutes. Application is "wet" though, so easy to be confused.
Anyone else try this sort of thing for trem guitars? What "products" do most of you guys who don't block off your strat-trems but use the trem bar utilize? Anyone try one of these and have bad experience or experience no difference? I'm curious as to what the array of opinions and products used might be around here.
In the last year or so I took to tasteful use of tremolo on my guitars, and I'm pretty hooked on tasteful use of the trem bar for phasing now (think Jeff Beck).
My main guitar was a 335-style (still love it), but my 10+ year old strat-style, and now an additional strat style guitar are seeing most of the playing time--in part because of trem.
Too much trem use just gets annoying to listen to IMO, but I'm learning how useful it can be, especially in conjunction with my ususal useof bends (pitch up) and vibrato. Pitch down (trem) adds a third element of phrasing for that vocal/slide guitar like quality with a 'sound' all it's own that goes well with the aforementioned two and other phrasing techniques.
I was theoretically a firm believer in graphite--even in the nut slots of my 335 because, why not...even the well respected local guitar repair guy said he used graphite. It's kind of hard to ensure consistent results with pencil lead and such though. I didn't use the trem at all before either, so even when not blocked off, I rarely had trouble staying in tune.
Most of the trem issues seem to be at the nut/string tree after some research and experience. I'm lefty, so roller nuts are basically not an option for me from what I've seen...
For another non-guitar project I stumbled on a "dry" 'PTFE' based bicycle product as a lube that doesn't gum up or attract dirt/dust/etc. A little searching showed that some guys tried it for guitar. Since I had it on hand I've given it a shot in the nut slots, string trees, and around vintage trem bridge screws. Before it was pretty consistently landing out of tune and needing a 'yank' on the bar to pull it back in tune, at best. But I've virtually forgotten that using the trem might cause tuning issues by now after starting to use this kind of stuff!
It's awesome not to need any mods, extra parts, etc. to have solved the problem on your "regular" strat style guitar if this stuff continues to prove reliable. Apparently many manufacturers make similar products, but the one I have is called "finish line dry." However I'm not saying one brand vs another--I was originally looking for a different brand product of "dry PTFE" based product when I called a bike shop looking for it (again, not for guitar but for another project) and that is the one they had, though most of the PTFE dry lubricants will be similar or the same regardless of brand said the bike shop. That is just the one they had. Bottles are available cheap on amazon. It was a great find!
Now, I say "dry" with quotations, because the way the product works is, it applies like it's wet, but quickly dries up, and the PTFE and a soft waxy portion remain...so it's wet on application but doesn't get gummy, and easier to apply than graphite shavings by far. At first I thought something was wrong, or I read about guys using it for guitar advocating "dry" products. It's dry--after a few minutes. Application is "wet" though, so easy to be confused.
Anyone else try this sort of thing for trem guitars? What "products" do most of you guys who don't block off your strat-trems but use the trem bar utilize? Anyone try one of these and have bad experience or experience no difference? I'm curious as to what the array of opinions and products used might be around here.
